The Boomer Consumer is dedicated to helping boomers get what they want in life through using consumer information, making effective choices, and sharing their own experiences.

Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate..

By Nicole Vincent Fleming, Consumer Education Specialist Federal Trade Commission Unlimited talk, text, and data for $45 per month with no contract? That sounds like a great deal, but according to a recent FTC lawsuit, millions of people who bought unlimited mobile plans from Straight Talk, Net10 Wireless, Simple Mobile, and Telcel America didn’t get […]
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A new app allows truck drivers to more easily research bridge heights – and potential conflicts – before they hit the road and hit a bridge. Using GIS mapping, the trip planner shows drivers which bridges on their proposed route should be avoided or approached with caution because heights may vary by lane, said the […]
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Consumer electronics company LG will pay $13 million in restitution over its alleged role in an elaborate price-fixing scheme among LCD manufacturers that cost consumers millions. LG Display and LG Display America agreed to resolve charges the companies violated Washington antitrust laws, Attorney General Bob Ferguson said Tuesday. LG Display is one of eight liquid […]
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T-Mobile will pay $90 million to settle charges it placed unauthorized third-party service charges on subscribers’ telephone bills. Consumer victims of this practice, called “cramming,” are socked with charges, typically $9.99 per month, for “premium” text message services — such as horoscopes, trivia, and sports scores — that they’ve never requested or even heard of, […]
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Washington residents need to be on the lookout for an ongoing scam targeting residential and business customers of area utilities. The scammers claim to be from a local utility or phone company and threaten to shut off a customer’s service for a past-due bill, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission said. They then demand payment […]
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Have you been wondering whether you’ll find the biggest bargains on Thanksgiving, Black Friday, or Cyber Monday? DealNews.com offers the chart below with their opinions on what items will be at the lowest prices on the three days. Click on the chart to make it larger for easier reading. For more information for boomer consumers, […]
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A federal agency is charging that AT&T Mobility is misleading millions of smartphone customers by charging them for “unlimited” data plans while reducing their data speeds up to 90 percent. A Federal Trade Commission’s lawsuit alleges that the company failed to disclose to its customers on unlimited data plans that, if they use a certain […]
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Several defendants will pay about $10 million to settle charges that they operated a massive scam that sent text messages, then robocalls, to millions of consumers, pitched phony “free” offers, and crammed unauthorized charges on their mobile phone bills. The settlement marks the completion of a major effort by the Federal Trade Commission to crack […]
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Under an agreement with 49 states and the District of Columbia, AT&T Mobility will pay $105 million and stop allowing unauthorized third-party service charges to be placed on subscribers’ telephone bills. Consumer victims of this practice, called “cramming,” rack up charges, usually $9.99 per month, for “premium” text message services – such as horoscopes, trivia, […]
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Your smartphone is full of information about you. To keep it from getting in the wrong hands, set your phone to lock automatically, use passwords for your phone, be careful about Wi-Fi usage, don’t fall for phishing attempts, and connect to Bluetooth carefully. See the Federal Trade Commission’s “Be Smart About Your Phone” for details. […]
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Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate..